How it all started
The idea for Dinnr was born in the aftermath of the Covid-19 lockdowns. As the world gradually returned to a ‘new normal’, we (in the beginning just Sofus and Søren) started talking to friends and people we met on our way. We asked them about what they longed for, missed the most, and what they were truly tired of.
Most of the ones we spoke to, longed for meeting new exciting people and having deep, honest conversations about the most important things in life. Many were tired of social media, superficial meetings through dating apps, and dinner parties where the conversation always seemed to revolve around home equity, the climate crisis, and political outrage over the latest current affairs.
The idea
During the spring and summer of 2022 the idea for what is now Dinnr started taking shape.
Social media and swiping through dating apps have not provided the deep and intimate connection with friends and loved ones that we all long for. And the Covid-19 lockdowns made this fact even more evident. Rather it has accelerated superficial connections, FOMO, and a feeling of loneliness.
Central for our investigation was: How do we encourage people, for a moment, to step away from the so-called ‘social media’ and join a truly social dinner with real people, having real conversations about the stuff that matters in life?
Deep conversations about friendships, love, relationships, raising kids, breaking up, making up, and all the ups and downs of life.
We wanted to create a new space where we could have sharings and conversations from a more vulnerable and honest place. A place where we can be humans – free of the make-believe and superficial images of social media.
TESTING AND Developing the IDEA
Instead of building a website or app, a few good friends advised us to just get started hosting some test dinners. We did this during the autumn and winter of 2022/2023. After a bit of initial confusion, around the concept and a few adjustments in communication/setting expectations, both Hosts and Guest were very excited after participating in the following dinners.
Then we started conceptualizing, designing, and discussing platform/tech options and ambition level, we started building something fairly simple to get us started during the summer of 2023.
It’s all about sharing, connecting, and deeper conversation
Facilitating personal and sometimes vulnerable sharings and conversations between people takes both a solid format and a bit of training as a host/facilitator. Much more important than the food or technical platform, this is where the magic happens and we try to focus our energy together with the hosts. We are drawing on years of experience from both men’s-groups, women’s-circles and mixed-groups therapy.
The launch
We pilot (beta) launched Dinnr on November 16, 2023. We are still learning a lot through the feedback from all of you – so expect rapid changes/adjustments to both formats, concept,s and functionality.
A big shout out to all of you…
A big shout out to all of you who helped make Dinnr possible. We would like to thank all the people who have contributed to the idea, concept, design, UI, platform choices, testing the format, attending the pilot dinner in 2022 and 20223, and all the Host and Guests who are part of the pictures, videos, interviews, etc.
A big shout out to Anja Bay, Anne Lassen, Carolina Magdalene Maier, Lars Lundbye, Tina P. Israni, Luka Harambasic, Melvyn Mathews, Simon Skipper, Andreas Johannsen, Jeppe Kruse, Laura Engstrøm, Morten Lundrup, Lene Lavtsen, Henrik Schütze, Miriam Nørgaard, Thomas Buch Andersen, Anne Mette Nørgaard, Malene Mosbæk, Line Bangsbo, Sara Marie Holmsmgaard and many more…
Why we do it?
Several studies are pointing to modern urban living, the way we design cities and the use of social media can accelerate the feeling of loneliness and depression (read more below).
Dinnr is not the answer to this, but we hope to be a small part of reconnecting urban people and investigating the most important issues, dilemmas, and feeling as real, honest, and vulnerable human beings.
On a personal level, we are all curious and playful human beings and suckers for meeting new people, sharing the stuff that matters and exploring our own patterns, blindsides and getting inspiration for being more fully in the world.
The Dinner Team,
Sofus, Søren, Troels and Chris
Some urban and social media trends and research that inspired us
A few articles and research on cities, social media, and loneliness.
What’s the world’s loneliest city?, The Guardian
Alone Together in the 21st-Century City, by David Symons
Sådan er det at være ung og helt vildt ensom i en storby, Vice Magazine (In Danish)
På sociale medier er vi ensomme sammen, Berlingske interview with US Phycologist Sherry Turkle (In Danish)